One of the ultimate aims of this podcast is to introduce lesser known bands to a new audience, which is why we’re all pretty chuffed to be doing This is the Third Album of a Band Called Adebisi Shank by Adebisi Shank.
Hailing from Wexford in Ireland, Adebisi Shank were a band for about 8 years, and in that time released three albums and one EP. Throughout their life, they were able to release music on some cool labels (Big Scary Monsters, Richter Collective, Sargent House) and tour a whole bunch with great bands.
Their music is often classed as “math rock” and whilst they occasionally took issue with that, it’s probably the closest genre to place these guys in. For a three piece, they made a tremendous racket, and made, we think, some of the craziest, catchiest pseudo-instrumental math rock that you can possibly imagine.
Indeed, this, their final album, is their true zenith. It combines all the math rock time signature instrumental madness with a real sense of joyful abandon, coupled with ridiculous guitar and bass tones, awesome drum sounds and some appropriate robotic vocals.
Most of all though, this album is just pure fun. Like, really really fun. It’s quite over the top in places but it all works. It’s carefree. Exuberant, even. In this episode we talk about that at length.
We also talk about the rest of the band’s catalogue and why they never once fall into the self serious overplayed nonsense that a lot of math rock falls into.
More folk need to listen to this band and we think it absolutely is an unsung classic. Agree? Disagree? Vote below.